Singapore and Malaysia will soon allow door-to-door cross-border taxi services, enabling licensed taxis to pick up and drop off passengers anywhere in the neighbouring country under new bilateral rules.
The announcement was made last Friday on 5th December 2025 in a joint statement by both countries’ transport ministries. As part of the changes, the quota for licensed cross-border taxis will be expanded significantly from 200 to 500. However, no implementation date has been provided.
The update follows a meeting on Thursday between Singapore’s Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke, held on the sidelines of the 12th Singapore–Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat, where both sides discussed ongoing efforts to enhance transport connectivity.
The ministers noted rising demand for more convenient cross-border travel and agreed on a series of enhancements to the existing bus and taxi systems to better meet commuter needs and deter illegal transport services, the ministries said in Friday’s statement.
They added that Singapore’s Land Transport Authority and Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Agency will continue working together to finalise the details of the enhanced Cross-Border Taxi Scheme.
Under the revised rules, foreign-registered taxis will be permitted to drop off passengers anywhere in the host country. However, pick-ups will remain restricted to designated locations to prevent operators from offering domestic point-to-point services, the ministries said.
At present, cross-border taxis may only alight passengers at specific terminals — Larkin Sentral in Johor Bahru for Singapore taxi operators, and the Ban San Street Terminal in Singapore for Malaysian taxis.
The ministries said they will also progressively expand the number of designated pick-up points for ride-hail and e-hailing bookings, while gradually increasing the supply of licensed cross-border taxis.
“As a start, each country will provide an additional quota of 100, prioritised for larger and more premium vehicles that can address the needs of larger groups and business travellers,” the joint statement said.
All licensed taxis will be required to carry clear livery markings and tamper-proof vehicle plates, and must install Singapore’s ERP2 on-board unit to enter the Republic.
Additionally, both nations will strive to improve insurance coverage for international taxis, expedite the processing of accident claims, and build a regulatory framework for cross-border ride-hail and e-hailing platforms.
The ministers decided to “work towards aligning regulatory regimes” regarding bus services in order to improve connectivity and boost travel.
The ministries stated, “These enhancements and principles agreed to by both ministers reflect our continued commitment to improving cross-border connectivity and the commuting experience for travellers between Singapore and Malaysia.” They added that representatives from both sides will maintain close communication and move swiftly to put the agreed-upon improvements for cross-border bus and taxi services into action.
